FORT MYERS, Fla. ---
Kierstan Bell, a sophomore forward on the FGCU women's basketball team, has been named a regional finalist for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America team. The selection committee will announce the 10-member Coaches All-America team on April 3.
Previously named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, Bell led the Eagles to an NCAA Tournament berth while averaging 24.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 steals per game.
"Kierstan has had an amazing season," FGCU head coach
Karl Smesko said. "She was one of the most efficient players in all of college basketball this year. It is good to see all the recognition she is receiving."
Bell, who is also one of five finalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, became the first player in ASUN history to be tabbed both the conference's player and newcomer of the year. She was named to the Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List and the NCAA.com Starting Five twice. Along the way, she was a six-time ASUN player of the week and a conference-record 10-time ASUN newcomer of the week. On top of that, she compiled 16 double-doubles this year, which not only shatters the program's single-season record but ranks third among all Eagles in a career.
Bell (Alliance, Ohio/Canton McKinley HS/Ohio State), who recently earned tournament MVP honors while leading the Eagles to the ASUN championship, finished the season as the nation's fifth-leading scorer. In fact, her 24.3 points per contest is the sixth best average in the ASUN's 36-year history. Her 81 3-point field goals made is tied for seventh-most in program history, which also ties her for 12th-most in a single season in ASUN history. In fact, she made 3.11 3-point field goals per game, which is tied for the highest average in conference history.
Behind Bell's play, FGCU finished 26-3 overall in 2020-21, which included a 16-0 conference record en route to regular season and tournament championships. The team won every regular season and tournament game against conference teams by double-digits. Once her transfer waiver was approved three games into the season, the Eagles reeled off 25 consecutive victories before falling to No. 14/16 Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was just one shy of matching the longest streak in the program's Division I era.
WBCA Regional Finalists
Region 1
| Player |
Institution |
| Janelle Bailey |
University of North Carolina |
| Lorela Cubaj |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Elissa Cunane |
North Carolina State University |
| Anna DeWolfe |
Fordham University |
| Dana Evans |
University of Louisville |
| Morgan Jones |
Florida State University |
| Lotta-Maj Lahtinen |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Tiana Mangakahia |
Syracuse University |
| Maddy Westbeld |
University of Notre Dame |
Region 2
| Player |
Institution |
| Shakira Austin |
University of Mississippi |
| Aliyah Boston |
University of South Carolina |
| Zia Cooke |
University of South Carolina |
| Rennia Davis |
University of Tennessee |
| Chelsea Dungee |
University of Arkansas |
| Anastasia Hayes |
Middle Tennessee State University |
| Rhyne Howard |
University of Kentucky |
| Rickea Jackson |
Mississippi State University |
| N'dea Jones |
Texas A&M University |
| Micaela Kelly |
Central Michigan University |
| Que Morrison |
University of Georgia |
| Destiny Slocum |
University of Arkansas |
| Jenna Staiti |
University of Georgia |
| Unique Thompson |
Auburn University |
| Jasmine Walker |
University of Alabama |
Region 3
| Player |
Institution |
| Kierstan Bell |
Florida Gulf Coast University |
| Charli Collier |
University of Texas |
| Kysre Gondrezick |
West Virginia University |
| Vivian Gray |
Texas Tech University |
| Ashley Joens |
Iowa State University |
| Ayoka Lee |
Kansas State University |
| Natasha Mack |
Oklahoma State University |
| DiDi Richards |
Baylor University |
| NaLyssa Smith |
Baylor University |
| IImar'I Thomas |
University of Cincinnati |
Region 4
| Player |
Institution |
| Grace Berger |
Indiana University |
| Paige Bueckers |
University of Connecticut |
| Caitlin Clark |
University of Iowa |
| Arella Guirantes |
Rutgers University |
| Naz Hillmon |
University of Michigan |
| Selena Lott |
Marquette University |
| Diamond Miller |
University of Maryland |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa |
University of Connecticut |
| Ashley Owusu |
University of Maryland |
| Christyn Williams |
University of Connecticut |
Region 5
| Player |
Institution |
| Aleah Goodman |
Oregon State University |
| Mya Hollingshed |
University of Colorado |
| Charlisse Leger-Walker |
Washington State University |
| Aari McDonald |
University of Arizona |
| Michaela Onyenwere |
University of California, Los Angeles |
| Charisma Osborne |
University of California, Los Angeles |
| Myah Selland |
South Dakota State University |
| Kiana Williams |
Stanford University |
For complete coverage of the women's basketball program, follow the Eagles on
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Instagram at @FGCU_WBB, on
Facebook at /fgcuwbb and online at www.FGCUathletics.com. You can also sign-up to have news on FGCU women's basketball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting
www.fgcuathletics.com/email.
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IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Do you enjoy watching or following the FGCU women's basketball program? Would you like to play a role in the growth of the program and help take it to heights never before experienced? If so, you can reach out to Director of Advancement, Matt Ring, about opportunities to make an impact on the experiences of our student-athletes. He can be reached by email at mring@fgcu.edu or by office phone at 239-745-4434.
COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko maintains a record of 580-125 (.823) overall in his career (third highest winning percentage among active Division I coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and Baylor's Kim Mulkey), including a 217-17 (.924) mark in ASUN regular season play and a 27-2 (.931) record in ASUN tournament play. Over the past nine-plus seasons, including this year, he has guided FGCU to a 153-5 (.966) record in conference play with six undefeated seasons. The 11-time ASUN Coach of the Year has guided the Green and Blue to four 30-plus win seasons over the past six years. He has also guided the program to 17 consecutive 20-win seasons and 11-straight 25-win seasons, both of which include this year.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 85 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 39 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
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